Method for Regulating Power for Voice Over Internet Protocol Telephones

1. A system for delivering power to a plurality of telephony devices, the system comprising: a network switch, the network switch supplying a default power supply to a plurality of devices adjacently connected to the network switch; and a plurality of telephony devices, a telephony device connected to the network switch and operable to: receive a default power supply from the network switch; send the network switch a message indicating power necessary for the telephony device to operate; identify the power necessary in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value; receive the power necessary for the telephony device to operate; receive a voice signal; and communicate packets to the network switch, wherein the packets comprise voice packets generated by the telephony device in response to the voice signal.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the telephony devices requires 5 watts of power.

3. The system of claim 1 , the network switch comprising an interface port, the network switch determining power available at the network switch and providing the default power, if available, to at least one of the telephony devices through the interface port.

4. The system of claim 1 , the network switch comprising an interface port, the network switch adjusting the power supply provided at the interface port in response to the messages from the telephony devices.

5. A system for delivering power to a plurality of telephony devices, the system comprising: a network switch, the network switch supplying a default power supply to at least one of a plurality of devices adjacently connected to the network switch; and a plurality of telephony devices, a telephony device connected to an interface port of the network switch and operable to: receive a default power supply from the interface port; send the network switch a message through the interface port indicating a power necessary for the telephony device to operate, the network switch adjusting power provided at the interface port in response to the message; identify the power necessary in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value; receive the power necessary for the telephony device to operate; receive a voice signal; and communicate packets to the network switch, wherein the packets comprise voice packets generated by the telephony device in response to the voice signal.

6. A system for delivering power to a telephony device, the system comprising: switching means for routing data packets, the switching means supplying a default power supply to a device adjacently connected to the switching means; and telephony communication means for transmitting and receiving voice data packets, the telephony communication means connected to the switching means, the telephony communication means receiving a default power supply from the switching means, sending the switching means a message indicating a power necessary for the telephony device to operate, identifying the power necessary in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value, receiving the power necessary for the telephony device to operate, receiving a voice signal, and communicating packets to the network switch, wherein the packets comprise voice packets generated by the telephony device in response to the voice signal.

7. A method for delivering power to a plurality of telephony devices, the method comprising: providing a default power supply to a plurality of telephony devices; receiving a message indicating a specific power requirement from a telephony device, wherein the message identifies the specific power requirement in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value; adjusting the power supplied to the telephony device in response to the specific power requirement; and receiving packets from the telephony device, wherein the packets comprise voice packets generated by the telephony device in response to a voice signal received at the telephony device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining an available power supply prior to providing each of the telephony devices with the default power supply.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining an available power supply after the adjusting the power supply for each of the telephony devices.

10. A method for powering a telephony device, comprising: receiving a default power signal from a network switch; communicating a message indicating an adjusted power level to the network switch; identifying the adjusted power level in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value; receiving an adjusted power signal at the adjusted power level; receiving a voice signal; and communicating packets to the network switch, wherein the packets comprise voice packets generated by the telephony device using the voice signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the default power signal has a power level of 5 watts.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: detecting a power level of the default power signal; identifying an actual power level for the telephony device; determining that the default power signal does not provide the actual power level; and wherein the actual power level is equal to the adjusted power level.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the power signal on a network port operable to communicate packets with the network switch.

14. A telephony device, comprising: a network port operable to receive a power signal at a default power level; and wherein the telephony device is operable to: determine an actual power level for the telephony device; communicate a message to a network switch, the message indicating the actual power level; and identify the actual power level in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value; and wherein the network port is further operable to receive an adjusted power signal at the actual power level and to communicate packets to a network switch, the packets comprising voice packets generated by the telephony device in response to a voice signal.

15. The telephony device of claim 14 , wherein the default power level is 5 watts.

16. A method for managing power for a telephony device, comprising: coupling to a telephony device using an interface port; determining a default power level; communicating a power signal at the default power level to the telephony device using the interface port; receiving a message from the telephony device using the interface port, the message requesting an adjustment of the power signal, wherein the message identifies the adjustment of the power signal in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value; in response to receiving the message, adjusting the power level of the power signal; and receiving packets from the telephony device, wherein the packets comprise voice packets generated by the telephony device in response to a voice signal.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: before communicating the power signal, determining whether sufficient power remains in a power budget to supply the default power level to the telephony device; and if sufficient power remains, communicating the power signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: if sufficient power remains, adjusting the power budget to reflect a new level of available power based on the power level of the power signal.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the message comprises an adjusted power level.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising adjusting a power budget to reflect a new level of available power based on the adjusted power level of the power signal.

21. A network switch, comprising: a plurality of interface ports; and wherein the network switch is operable to: communicate a power signal at a default power level to a telephony device using a particular interface port; receive a message from the telephony device using the particular interface port, the message requesting an adjustment of the power signal, wherein the message identifies the adjustment of the power signal in milliwatts for the telephony device to operate using a sixteen-bit value; in response to the message, adjust the power level of the power signal; and receive packets from the telephony device, wherein the packets comprise voice packets generated by the telephony device using a voice signal.

22. The network switch of claim 21 , further operable to: determine whether sufficient power remains in a power budget to supply the default power level to the telephony device before communicating the power signal; and if sufficient power remains, communicating the power signal.

23. The network switch of claim 22 , further operable to: if sufficient power remains to supply the default power level, adjust the power budget to reflect a new level of available power based on the power level of the power signal.

24. The network switch of claim 21 , wherein the message comprises an adjusted power level.

25. The network switch of claim 24 , further comprising adjusting a power budget to reflect a new level of available power based on the adjusted power level of the power signal.